Best of 2024: The South
First of a 3-part series on the best eats we enjoyed during 2024.
Sunday: The South
Monday: The Low Country
Tuesday: Savannah
As you might imagine, the calendar was full of food. Because of my book, Charleston Food Crawls, available now, we spent a decent amount of time there. Of course Charleston is always going to have something to say when it comes to great food in the South. This year was no different. Two of our entries are from Charleston. The rest are from random visits here there and anywhere. Keep one thing in mind, these are not a ranking. Simply a list of our 5 Best Bites of 2024 from around The South.
- Grilled Oysters with Crab Fat Curry and Cashews – Chubby Fish, Charleston.
In a city full of great food, Chubby Fish is a seafood lovers standout. It has become one of my favorites, no question. For starters, the energy in the room is just the right mix of warm and electric. The kitchen is open, so the sights and smells are a big part of what they do at Chubby Fish. That said, there are a lot of things to love on their menu, and we do. But the grilled oysters with Crab Fat Curry and Cashews is just next level fantastic. Another favorite is their Cauliflower Cacio e Pepe with Poblano Crema. So so good. Bon Appetit named Chubby Fish Best New Restaurant when they arrived on the scene. No hype here. This spot just rocks. It should be on your short list.
Lotus Noodle Bar – St Augustine, Florida
I might get in a little bit of trouble for saying this, but one thing that I have learned over the last couple of years is that some of the best eats you will find in Jacksonville are 30 minutes down the road in St. Augustine. St. Augustine’s food scene is beginning to have a moment. For a city of its size, there’s a surprising amount of great food there. We’ll be sharing more in 2025, but for now, you need to know about Lotus Noodle Bar. Chef Barry Honan is a St. Augustine native and former alumnus of 3-Star Michelin restaurant Le Bernardin in New York City. Barry was mentored under Chef Eric Ripert. During his tenure as a sous chef, Le Bernardin was awarded the best restaurant in the world in 2018 and 2019.
Honan has brought that Michelin approach to quality and detail to his first restaurant in St. Augustine. Lotus Noodle Bar is an experience. The menu changes fairly regularly based on availability of ingredients, but I don’t believe I’ve had anything at Lotus that wasn’t simply amazing. Tuna Sashimi, Hokkaido Scallops and Japanese A5 Tartare along with a beautiful set of ramen bowls are what you can expect here. Chef Honan went into this project with a self-imposed very high bar. Ask anyone who has eaten there, the bar is cleared nightly. Simply an amazing experience in a beautiful setting tucked away on a quiet corner a mile or so from Old Town. Highly recommended.
You probably already know about Chai Pani. If you don’t, you should. What they’ve done to casually re-invent Indian street food has become nothing short of a phenomenon. So much so, they were named Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation in 2022. Flavors explode with every bite. Every bit of food we had back in August 2024 was just excellent. The highlight, however, was the SPDP. Toasted puffed up puris (bread puffs) stuffed with potato, red onion, and cilantro, with sweet yogurt, green and tamarind chutney. These bites were so incredible we started with them, ate them immediately. Once it was time to fill the table with more food, we asked for some more. Yes, simply delicious. If you can’t get to Asheville, Chai Pani has another location in Downtown Decatur, Georgia. Well worth a visit. Order it all. You will Eat It and Like It.
Malagón is a classic Spanish Tapas spot on Spring Street in Charleston. Small plates all the way around. There’s so much to enjoy here, but I will share one dish that has become a go-to for me when I’m at Malagón. Zorza de cordero. Marinated braised lamb bites served in a tiny dish and eaten with toothpicks. Delicious. The charcuterie and cheese are excellent as well. We love everything about this place.
La Bodeguita de Mima, Louisville, Kentucky
What I did not know going into a November visit to Louisville was that Bourbon Country is home to the fastest growing Cuban population in America. Roughly 60,000 Cubans live in Louisville and I’m told the food scene (which is great, btw) is a reflection of that influence.
One restaurant I visited was La Bodeguita de Mima. A 420 seat palace dedicated to Cuban culture. From the moment I walked in, I was simply blown away at not only the attention to detail in this restaurant, but the fact that there was seemingly not an empty seat in the house. There’s live music in the bar area, there was live music in a back patio. Salsa classics, of course. The food looked amazing. I say looked because all I had opportunity to enjoy was a simple Cuban sandwich, which was wonderful. Shortly after my visit, I came to learn that La Bodeguita is one of Louisville’s most popular restaurants. No surprise here. It was the most jaw dropping display of Cuban culture I’ve seen anywhere outside of Miami. And I’ve visited Cuba. This place must go on your list if you find yourself in Louisville.
Monday: The Best of the Low Country 2024